10 Tips To Manage Stress Before Tryouts!

Welcome to Cosmi, where our focus is giving you the best tools to manage your stress as an athlete!

Managing stress before tryouts can be a daunting task for many athletes and parents, alike! But,
with a lighthearted approach and a few relaxation techniques, it can be easily managed. From
deep breathing exercises to calming meditations, athletes can calm their nerves and focus on
the present moment. Check out our 10 tips below to help manage your stress before tryouts.

1. Take a deep breath! Deep breathing exercises have been proven to calm those nerves right
down. Just breathe in through your nose to a count of five, and out through your mouth. Ahh,
feels better already, doesn’t it?
2. Chill out with some relaxing tunes. Listening to music has been shown to help ease both
physical and mental tension. So pop in those earbuds and crank up the tunes. Bonus points if
you dance around in your room while you do it!
3. Get your Zen on with meditation or yoga. It might sound a bit hokey, but meditation and yoga
can do wonders for soothing those pre-tryout jitters. Plus, you’ll look super cool and
mysterious if you slip away from the crowd to meditate for a few minutes.
4. Focus on the NOW. Don’t worry about impressing the coaches or what might happen down the
line. Just concentrate on doing your best in the present moment. You got this!
5. Label your feelings. This might seem like something out of a self-help book, but it really
works. Just try labeling those anxious thoughts and feelings as they come up. “Oh, there’s my
old friend nerves again. Hi, nerves! Nice to see you!” Weirdly enough, this can help take some of
the power away from those pesky negative feelings.
6. Accept that stress and anxiety are normal. Seriously, every athlete feels nervous before a
tryout. It’s just part of the game. Instead of fighting it, accept it and try to work with it.
7. Remember that coaches are human too. It’s easy to feel like your coaches are judging you
harshly during tryouts, but in reality they’re just people doing their best to find the best players
for their team. So don’t take it too personally if things don’t go your way.
8. Visualize success. Take a few minutes to imagine yourself crushing those drills and scoring
that winning goal. Visualization can be a powerful tool for boosting confidence and reducing
stress.
9. Get plenty of sleep and eat well. This might seem obvious, but it’s worth mentioning. Make
sure you’re taking care of yourself in the days leading up to tryouts. Eat nutritious foods, drink
plenty of water, and get plenty of rest.
10. And most importantly, don’t forget to have fun! Yes, tryouts can be stressful, but they can
also be a lot of fun. Enjoy the process, meet some new people, and give it your all. Good luck!